HBO Denies Rumor of Emilia Clarke Leaving 'Game of Thrones'

July 3, 2014 (1:58 am) GMT

'Absolutely untrue,' a spokesperson for the cable channel says in response to the rumor, which turns out to be 'a joke.'

"Game of Thrones" fans can rest assured that the show isn't replacing Emilia Clarke. There was a rumor floating around the web over the weekend saying that the Daenerys Targaryen depicter would not return for season 5, but an HBO spokesperson, Mara Mikialian, has slammed the report, telling Gawker, "Absolutely untrue. She's absolutely back for season 5."

Sunday Times Daily was the first to report Clarke's supposed departure. Fans, who were shocked and sad, quickly took to Twitter to express their disappointment. However, the site has updated its page, replacing the article with an anouncement that the story wasn't true and "was just a joke."

In real update on the upcoming fifth season, part of the season will be filmed in Spain, in several natural locations in the province of Seville, Andalusia, HBO has announced. The Andalusia Film Commission, Seville Film Office and Osuna Film Office will support the filming.

Exact locations will be confirmed closer to the time of production later this year. Spain's radio station Cadena Ser reports that Alcazar, a former fort which now becomes a royal palace, will be transformed into the Water Gardens of Dorne, which is the residence of the House of Martell and a favorite place of Prince Doran Martell.

The production for the fifth season will kick off later this month in Belfast.

Two big fans of the show, Darren Prew and Kerry Ford from Hereford, recently tied the knot in a "Game of Thrones"-themed wedding. The groom dressed up as Jon Snow, while his bride channeled Daenerys Targaryen. For the party held at Eastnor Castle near Ledbury in Herefordshire, 12 members of the wedding were also transformed into characters from the medieval series.